Only Saints can sacrifice everything in their possession

Once Sant Tukaram Maharaj counselled his wife about sacrifice and convinced herthat ‘objects of sense or the mind are bad’ and instructed her to chant the Name of Deity Vitthal. After listening to his advice, his wife developed detachment for everything. Next day after bath, she performed the ritualistic worship of Deities at home, invited Brahmins and let them take away everything in her house. Nothing was left in the house. In the afternoon she realised that there was, no grain’ in the house to cook. As everyone in the house had fasted on the previous day on account of Ekadashi; they all were very hungry. In order to help them in this adverse situation, Jagjjanani (Mother of the whole Universe) came to test Sant Tukaram in the disguise of an untouchable woman. She addressed Sant Tukaram saying, “I am an untouchable woman from your village. I heard that you have let Brahmins take away everything from your house. If there is anything left, then give that to me.” Hearing this urge, Sant Tukaram Maharaj gave away the only saree that was kept for drying in the house.

When his wife came to know about it, she was very angry. In the fit of anger she rushed to the temple to demolish the charan (Holy Feet) of Deity Vitthal as this untoward incident had taken place due to her chanting. Sant Tukaram too rushed after her; but as soon as she entered the temple with the stone in her hand, Deity Rukhmini shut the door. Here Sant Tukaram had various kinds of doubts in his mind. The very moment Sant Tukaram’s wife was about to strike Deity Vitthal’s charan with the stone in her hand, Rukhmini said, “If you fall short of anything in your household, I will go on providing that to you.” Thereafter Rukhmini offered her a saree and a blouse piece and she went back happily.

​Sant Tukaram was upset that despite his guidance to his wife, she still brought the saree and the blouse piece’. He said to his wife, “You have lost the chance of emancipation. If you eat the cream from the milk then how would you get butter? Only by sacrificing riddhi–siddhi, (wealth and prosperity) , we can realise God.” Having said this, he asked her to distribute whatever she had among the poor again.

– Dr. Vasant Balaji Athavale (Year 1990).